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KILLER WHALE or ORCA
Orcinus orca
(Linnaeus, 1758)

DERIVATION: orcinus may be from the Latin for a kind of whale or orcynus for a kind of tunny,
referring to the species' resemblance to tuna or its habit of preying on them.

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Killer whales, or orcas, are actually the largest member of the dolphin family and the top predator in the marine environment. Spanish whalers called orcas "whale killers" after observing them hunt in packs, killing or overcoming marine mammals, including whales. Somehow, their name got turned around to today's designation, "killer whales." No accurate report exists of orcas in the wild attacking or killing humans.

Orcas have the most impressive markings of any animal in the sea or on land with their powerful black glossy bodies, white eye patch situated above and behind the eye, and white flank and belly markings.

Saddle patches are light gray and behind the dorsal fin. The dorsal fins are different for each whale and are the means researchers have utilized to identify individual orcas. The oval eye patch, which varies in size and shape, is also an excellent means of identification.

By using these recognizable markings, a Canadian researcher, the late Michael Bigg, realized years ago that by photographing and cataloging resident pods of orcas in the waters surrounding Vancouver Island, Canada, each whale could be identified and followed over its lifetime.

K.C. Balcomb III formed Orca Survey and began similar studies of resident orca pods in the American waters surrounding the San Juan Islands, Washington. These combined studies have resulted in long and thorough research of cetaceans in the wild.

Killer whales remain with their family group, or pod, throughout their life which can be up to 70 years. A pod, containing male and female adults, juveniles and calves, may be comprised of a few whales or over 30 whales. Occasionally, pods come together and form short-term coalitions called "super pods."

My first encounter with orcas in the wild was their sound -- we could hear their blows before they came in sight -- as the pod moved rapidly north in Haro Strait, San Juan Islands. When they came in view, the huge and powerful dorsal of a large bull (J-1) was an majestic sight. If you have only seen captive orcas, the size of a healthy male dorsal fin is astounding.

During this same period with Orca Survey, while on a schooner off of San Juan Island, we encountered K-pod and an afternoon's outing turned into evening, night, morning, and the following afternoon. The only time we were out of touch with the pod was before dawn when the orcas entered Vancouver Harbor, British Columbia. We waited. Very soon, through the hydrophones, we picked up their chirps and whistles as they turned and headed south, back to the San Juans.

In 28 hours, we had observed orcas playing, eating salmon, socializing with another pod, spyhopping and breaching, all the while traveling over 100 miles. Regretfully, we left K-pod where we had picked them up. Conceivably, it was an average orca day to them, but being human, we needed rest.

By : Maris Sidenstecker

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Luna—One Orca’s Odyssey

March 10, 2006

It is with great sorrow that we report the tragic death of Luna on Friday, March 10, 2006, when he was struck by the propeller of a large tugboat, General Jackson. Luna had been playing close to the tug’s stern, as he had done many times with other vessels during the time he lived on his own. What happened is unknown, but Luna was killed when he was sucked into the wash from General Jackson’s propellers.

Luna was undoubtedly killed instantly, as his body parts were seen floating on the water’s surface. His story and influence is felt throughout the world.

In July 2001, a young orca appeared in Nootka Sound, an area half way up the west side of Vancouver Island. The juvenile whale befriended the crew of a supply boat, the Uchuck III. For weeks, as the boat traveled back and forth on its runs, the orca became increasingly friendly. In a contest held by a Seattle newspaper, the young orca was named Luna. Scientists identified him as L-98, a member of the L-pod (the “Southern Residents”), by matching his saddle patch with early photographs. He was born in September 1999 to Splash, L-67. The L-pod was not known to travel to Nootka Sound (200 sea miles north of their summer territory), but Luna had found his way there. Moreover, he had learned to catch and eat enough salmon to keep himself alive.

One theory is that he was swimming with his uncle, Orcan, L-39. When Orcan died, Luna could not find his way back to his pod. He has been living on his own for a long time, away from the companionship of his close-knit family group and mother.

Luna became a celebrity in the area around Nootka Sound. The local Mowachaht/Muchalaht natives named him Tsu-xiit. Before their patriarch Ambrose Maquinna died in late July 2001, he reportedly said to a friend, “When I go home, I want to come back as a kakaw’in,” an orca. Shortly after he died, Luna appeared on the scene.

For a while, Luna lived in obscurity, but in January 2002, the world learned of him when newspaper accounts of his exploits began to appear. The Mowachaht kept a respectful distance from Luna. Others showed less respect and promoted whale-watching tours that were really whale-petting sessions.

With no family or friends, Luna would surf beside boats, dive beneath them, bump their hulls and almost climb into the boats. He would occasionally put his head on the gunwales, open his mouth, and let his tongue be rubbed. When a tourist’s hat fell into the water off of the Uchuck, Luna surfaced with it balanced on his nose.

The Canadian Department of Fisheries (DFO) announced that it was going to enforce a law that doesn’t allow people to disturb marine mammals. A Gold River fishery officer named Ed Thorburn was in charge of enforcement. It was a difficult rule to enforce, as “disturb” includes contact that is initiated by the animal itself.

A research paper by Toni Frohoff, a marine mammal biologist in Washington State, concluded that, “The animals that had the most contact with humans had the least likelihood of survival.”

This led to an effort to reunite Luna with his family. In October 2003, the DFO, in collaboration with the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, prepared a plan. Thorburn would try to lead Luna to a reunion with his pod if they swam near Nootka Sound. The theory was that if he heard his family’s calls, he would join them. If this didn’t work, a team of aquarium experts would catch him in a net and transport him by truck to a pen closer to his pod’s home waters. He would be released when he communicated by vocalizing with his pod.

The Mowachaht/Muchalaht did not want Luna moved, but Thorburn did not think they would interfere. A large net trap had been assembled, and the DFO moved ahead with his capture. On the morning of the intended capture, two dugout canoes appeared full of members of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation. Chanting and singing, they paddled away from the dock into the sound. Luna appeared and followed the tribe members for 30 miles. It was a victory for the natives, but the DFO still planned to capture Luna. The tug of war went on for nine days.

When Thorburn went out in a boat to lead Luna to the pen, the natives were there in two canoes to lead him away. Luna thought that this was a game. For a while, the natives would lead him away; then he would follow Thorburn. After several attempts, Luna was led into a net, and a rope was pulled to trap him. But Luna slipped out of the pen and joined the Mowachaht/Muchalaht. Further efforts to capture him failed, and Thorburn said that if they were to capture him, it would have to be with the cooperation of the tribe members.

After this, Luna was left pretty much on his own. A Luna advocacy group urged the DFO and the Mowachaht/Muchalaht to meet and discuss his future. A monitoring program was discussed to ensure his safety. More details of the story of Luna may be found on www.reuniteluna.com.

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Orca Activities:

Breaching - Throwing their bodies above the water’s surface and returning with a big splash.

Lobtailing - Raising their tails high into the air and bringing them crashing onto the water’s surface.

Spyhopping - Hanging vertically in the water with their heads above the surface to look over their surroundings; also called pitch-poling.

Fluke Slapping - Raising a flipper and slapping it against the water.

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